Nora A Gilliam Cully was married to Ambrose E Cully. Nora gave birth to ten to twenty children but many did not survive childhood. Nora spent most of her adult life pregnant and giving birth and did not have time to recuperate.

All of her children played instruments and/or sang. Her husband Ambrose Cully was the music director at the church they attended, Zion AME Church.

Her famous children were Zara Cully Brown of the "Jeffersons" and Wendell Phillip Cully who played the horn in Count Basie's band and others.

Nora passed away with complications of giving birth to Nora J. Cully and died five days later.